Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 18

'Farmers are anxious to use [broadband]
connectivity to enhance precision agriculture as well as electronic commerce. All
farmers need to be able to take advantage
-Sonny Perdue
of these technologies.'
At a farm show in the nation's heartland last summer, he witnessed the demonstration of a GPS-enhanced
tractor that could plow a furrow for fertilizer in the fall
and return in the spring to place seed in the exact same
spots.
"It could reach down in that subsoil right where the
fertilizer was...and ultimately produce a 10 to 15 percent
bushel increase," Perdue says. "Farmers are anxious to
use [broadband] connectivity to enhance precision agriculture as well as electronic commerce. All farmers need
to be able to take advantage of these technologies."
When governor, Perdue invited Georgians to share
their concerns in person; during "Saturdays With Sonny,"
residents could meet with the governor for 15 minutes to
discuss any ideas or concerns.
"It gave everyday citizens access, and I learned of
some issues I never would have learned through routine
channels, and we made efforts to correct those," says
Perdue, noting that last summer's RV tours and other
listening sessions are designed to accomplish the same.
"It gives me [the] opportunity to hear issues I would
not hear by sitting in the office all the time," Perdue says.
"It's a matter of being approachable, of providing a culture of approachability American citizens need to have in
their government."
Jackie Kennedy is a freelance writer living in
LaGrange. Her story about former Georgia Gov. Sonny
Perdue and his wife, Mary, appeared in the April 2005
edition of GEORGIA Magazine.
18

Georgia agriculture
commissioner applauds
USDA secretary

AMY CARTER

that have stifled the agricultural industry.
"We have experienced a sustained time in history
where our farmers have been regulated to death," Perdue
says. "To unleash the productivity we know American
entrepreneurs can achieve, we have to peel back job-killing regulations so our people can do what they do best,
which is to produce products and grow the economy."
Those who make their living off the land work
diligently to maintain their way of life, diversifying as
necessary to stay on the family farm, according to the
secretary.
"Farmers are very creative and innovative when it
comes to looking for ways to gain revenue on the farm,"
he says, pointing out the growing trend of agritourism.
Despite farmers' "do-it-yourself" mentality, some
things are beyond their control, such as the availability
of reliable internet service in some rural areas. Perdue
recently met with stakeholders at the White House to
"focus federal effort on broadband connectivity across
America," he says.

Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black, left, and USDA
Secretary Sonny Perdue ham it up in the Georgia Grown building
at the Georgia National Fair last October.
Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black
doesn't hesitate to call his longtime colleague, Sonny
Perdue, "the most-qualified and best-prepared" of
anyone who's ever served as secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
"You have to add up his life experiences of growing
up in agriculture, having formal training as a doctor of
veterinary medicine, then agribusiness owner and grain
trader, then several areas of public service all the way up
to being the chief executive of the state," Black says. "I
think we'll find during his term of service he'll be the rock
star of the entire cabinet."
Black has known Perdue since 1991, when Perdue
started serving as state senator representing Georgia's
18th Senate district and Black was a lobbyist for the Georgia Agribusiness Council. The two worked together on
several pieces of legislation through the 1990s.
One of Black's proudest moments occurred during
Perdue's tenure as governor.
"I worked hand in hand with him to establish his
advisory agriculture committee that put National Agriculture Day on the map in Georgia," Black says. "Prior to Gov.
Perdue, we did news releases and everybody yawned.
When Perdue was governor, it turned into something that
drew quite a bit of attention during the General Assembly."
Black heaps praise on Perdue's ability to "track down
the best talent" and feels the USDA team he's put together is exceptional. He calls the new secretary "a man of
integrity" who will stand firm for what he believes in.
"He's a vigilant fighter," Black concludes, "and that's
what we need for the future of agriculture at this juncture
in our history."

More online at www.georgiamagazine.org

GEORGIA MAGAZINE


http://www.georgiamagazine.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Georgia Magazine - April 2018

Contents
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - Intro
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - Cover1
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - Cover2
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 3
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - Contents
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 5
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 6
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 7
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 8
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 9
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 10
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 11
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 12
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 13
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 14
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 15
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 16
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 17
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 18
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 19
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 20
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 21
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 22
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 23
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 24
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 25
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 26
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 27
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 28
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 29
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 30
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 31
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 32
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 33
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 34
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 35
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 36
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 37
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 38
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 39
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 40
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 41
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 42
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 43
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 44
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 45
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 46
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 47
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 48
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 49
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - 50
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - Cover3
Georgia Magazine - April 2018 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202403
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202402
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202401
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202312
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202311
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202310
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202309
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202308
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202307
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202306
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202305
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202303
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202302
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202301
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202212
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202211
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202210
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202209
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202208
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202207
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202206
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202205
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202204
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202203
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202202
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202201
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202111
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202110
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202109
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202108
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202107
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202106
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202105
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202104
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202103
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202101
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202009
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202008
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202007
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202006
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202005
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202004
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202003
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202002
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_202001
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201912
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201911
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201909
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201908
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201907
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201906
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201905
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201904
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201903
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201902
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201901
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201812
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201811
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201810
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201809
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201808
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201807
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201806
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201805
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201804
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201803
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201802
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201801
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201712
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201711
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201710
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201709
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201707
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201706
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201705
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201704
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201703
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201702
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201701
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201612
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201611
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201610
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201609
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201608
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201606
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201605
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201604
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201603
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201602
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201601
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201512
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201511
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201510
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201509
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201508
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201507
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201505
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201504
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201503
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201502
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201501
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/libertynotes_billofrights
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201412
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201411
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201410
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201409
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201408
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201407
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201406
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201405
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201404
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201403
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201402
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201401
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201312
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201311
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201310
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201309
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201308
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201307
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201306
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201305
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201303
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201302
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201301
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201212
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201211
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201210
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201209
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201208
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201207
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201206
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201205
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201204
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201203
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201202
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201201
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_realitycheck
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201111
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201110
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201109
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201108
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201107
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201106
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201105
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201104
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201103
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201101
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201009
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201008
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201007
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201006
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201005
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201004
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201003
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201002
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_201001
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_200912
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_200911
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/gemc/georgia_200910
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com